Hachiro's motive vs a powerful decision
by Yourfriendlyfangirl
Summary: Various Konohagakure Shinobi find themselves sent on a mission, that involves saving a simple girl, Hikari, from Yukigakure. She was kidnapped to suit the needs of a Kirigakure Shinobi named Hachiro, with a dangerous plan that will start the new war if carried out. Can these ninja save the girl and stop the destruction this Hachiro seeks? Or will their efforts prove too late?
1. Intro Summary

Summary of Hachiro's motive vs a powerful decision! :

Hikari, a young girl from Yukigakure, the Hidden Snow Village, finds herself going on a journey that would lead her to Sunagakure, the Hidden Sand Village. Unbeknownst to her, a shinobi from Kirigakure, the Hidden Mist Village, with dangerous plans, and unclear motives has been searching for someone like her. His name is Hachiro and he's certainly as strong as he is determined. Not knowing what for, or why Hikari finds herself drawn into the shinobi's twisted plan. Meanwhile in other villages such as Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf, various shinobi are being updated and made to care about Hikari's whereabouts. Could the information these shinobi learn about Hikari lead to Hachiro, the strange ninja, and help them stop the plan of his that will wreak havoc on them all if completed?


	2. One : Enter Hikari!

**One**

Hikari fought to keep her eyes closed, they were wrestling against the beam of light that was pressing aggressively against her lids. Reluctantly she opened them to blurry vision. In front of her was someone, crouching on their knees, flashlight in their pale right hand, green eyes narrowed, lips drawn apart in wonder.

Hikari used the muscles in her arms and her elbows to prop herself up in a seating position. She pulled herself back, hands edging in sticky, thick mud as she struggled to get her legs out of the hot warmth of her sleeping bag. She glanced up at the person in front of her as she fumbled with the zipper. "Who _are_ you?"

This someone was a girl. One with pale skin that had a sickly green glow cast to it, as if the life was slowly draining out of her. She had small green eyes, smaller than crescents, with their shape obscured by long thick lashes that curled at the sides. Her lips were thin and pouting as she stared at Hikari with mixed curiosity and discomfort. She wasn't the prettiest face Hikari had ever scene, not really at all, in fact, she was pretty homely, with a sizable nose, and ratty greenish-blonde hair, but she did not look like she was dangerous, and because of that, Hikari was happy.

"I'm Samara."

Hikari felt Samara's words when she spoke. The girl had a voice that although was as thin and quiet as the whirl of wind, it cracked, and rose high in a way that would make any listener wince.

Samara edged closer to Hikari, she rose up from her knees as she did so, but she kept in a crouch, her gaze fluttering about as if she was trying to spot something hidden in the shadows of the forest, and under the black, grey and dark blue of the night sky. "Miss, I do suggest you scoop up whatever belongings you've brought with you, and exit the area immediately. It's not safe in these woods."

Hikari stared at the girl's hard face. She wasn't sure exactly how she would come across to this person, but she did know that she was unhappy with the suggestion. She glanced about the area, while pulling herself to her feet, by use of a tree trunk. She saw her sleeping bag on the floor, but her tent, map, and various changes of clothes were rising under the strong gusts of wind that suddenly cast themselves upon herself and Samara.

"No!" She shouted in exasperation as her map to her village went away with the wind, along with her other belongings. Her sleeping bag was on its way to a high rise, but Hikari snagged it between her forefinger and thumb, desperate to safe at least something she'd brought along with her.

Samara rose to a proper stance and ran towards Hikari with a dash of speed that certainly surprised her. She looked determined for an escape, and it was clear she wouldn't try to leave without at least trying to snag Hikari before taking her leave.

Hikari's mouth fell open in surprise as Samara's hand cupped firmly around her wrist. The girl started into a lightning fast sprint, her hair whirling around as she fought to keep up a wicked fast run. Hikari had no trouble matching the speed, but as someone who wasn't very good with her feet in the dark, she was having trouble skipping over the various rocks, and twigs that were scattered upon the grassy and muddy terrain of the forest she'd set herself up in for a day of rest.

Both of their legs were aching in such a strong way, that both of the girls could feel their feet burning as they pushed to keep going. Their skin was on fire from the cuts and bruises they'd both acquired from smashing into many of the trees up in the forest. Hikari's knee was a bloody, throbbing mess, and her heart burned violently inside her chest as she neared the end of the woods. The opening of a grassy field that looked too promising to be true shone under the glow of starlight.

Samara was still leading the duo, her hand still gripping Hikari's, but she was clearly struggling to navigate, and to match Hikari's speed. She fell back, wheezing, as she stopped momentarily. Her feet continued to tap the ground, her arms swinging back and forth. "Can you lead us to the field? You're too fast for me."

Hikari glanced at Samara's hand and frowned. With a yank she attempted to free her wrist, but it stayed wrenched in the girl's iron grip. "Can't you let go!?"

Samara looked at Hikari, her green eyes widening momentarily as she considered what she was saying. Instantly Samara shook her head, her stubbornness proceeded to mask her face and cast an even more negative look to her features. She looked serious, and decided. "We have to stay together! Just go!"

Hikari set off, surprisingly untroubled by the weight of Samara as she darted under low branches and over fallen logs. Her heart was set on the field. That's where they would go.


	3. Two : Betrayed!

**Two**

Hikari let out a long, needed sigh, and bent over placing her hands on her knees as she did so. Her head was throbbing, her legs were aching. She and Samara had ran for what had seemed like forever. She was standing with the stranger in the field with busted fencing towards the back end, where another line of trees began. She opened her mouth, regretting the dryness she felt. They were smack in the middle of the field.

"Why—why did we run? What was wrong?"

Samara looked up at Hikari, with her lips pressed together in a firm line. She was a tiny little thing, with an odd, permanent lean to her stance, due to the shortness of her twig of a right leg. "They're coming!" Her sharp voice was a whip.

Hikari cast a look of resentment over Samara. She was sure that her brown eyes were blazing fire, filled with fury and bitterness. "Who are _they_?"

Samara stepped forwards, walking fast, despite the slight limp she had as she moved. Hikari could hear her panting as she came closer and closer. Sweat trickled from her thin brows. She wiped at her forehead idly with a tiny hand. "The shinobi of Kirigakure!"

Hikari studied Samara's headband. The girl wore the representation of her village fastened around her slim waist. It hung over a black tattered vest and torn beige shorts. The symbols on the band were that of the Hidden Mist. Four wavy dashes, two beside another, atop of the second pair.

"_You're_ from Kirigakure."

Samara's eyes lit up, shining with betrayal under the influence of moon and starlight that hung over them both. She smiled big and wide, her uneven teeth joining together for a wide, proud and sinister grin. "Well aren't you a natural for stating the obvious." She stretched her arms up long and high above her head. Her limbs stretched as she struggled to touch her fingers to the black sky.

Hikari watched, horrified as Samara grew, becoming a massive terror, as the seconds flew by. She opened her mouth, but found herself unable to speak. She just stared as the strange girl continued to rise, until all she could see without looking up were her ankles. Still thin as ever, but tall as a tower.

"What _are_ you!?"

"A shinobi dear. If you were to have figured that out earlier, this wouldn't be happening, would it?"

Hikari's eyes darted around fast as ever as she tried to spot each flicker of light that surrounded Samara. Lines of blue, too intense and bright for the human eye to capture without acquiring a headache, surrounded Samara. These lines were like tubes that seemed to flow with lighter blue liquid inside. A chalkra flow.

"What are you doing?!"

"A little distraction never hurt anyone." Samara lowered herself to the ground a slow speed, so that Hikari was able to witness every part of the girl's body crack, snap and bend until brought back to normal. "She's here! Hurry it up!"

Hikari glanced around anxiously, hoping to spot the one that the girl spoke to, but her view of the dark field was blocked off by the sight of a large shuriken, too large for a human hand to grasp. The massive weapon came for her in a wickedly fast run, spiralling towards her with nothing to slow it down. That was the last thing she saw.


	4. Three : Enter Samara!

**Three**

Samara was sorting through papers on her desk. So many scrolls to gaze through, around 90, and she hadn't even finished reading the 10th one! The majority of the ones she had read through had messages she'd needed help from fellow comrades to decipher. It wasn't like they were marked by some sort of funny ninja trick. They were just riddles she couldn't make sense out of.

Feeling more tire than she looked, Samara pushed her chair back with her hands, and stretched on it until it nearly crashed to the checkered floor beneath her. In a rush she pulled herself back up, and gripped the edge of her low to the ground desk with her fingers.

She sighed. It was sunny and shining outside, but Hachiro's office was darker than the blackest of shadows. The lamp that sat broken on the otherwise empty bookshelf a few steps behind her, was a cracked dysfunctional mess. She _could_ open the windows and draw the milk white curtains, but Samara didn't want to get up, or make it possible for any passing villagers from the outside to see her.

Hachiro waltzed into his office without any sort of warning, such as a knock, or maybe a vocal notice. He raised his eyebrows at Samara, and tilted his head as he looked at her. Hachiro was Samara's brother, and unlike Samara he was not a sight ridiculed, but one adored. He was certainly handsome.

Hachiro had Samara's same greenish skin, but the shade of green cast upon him wasn't nearly as noticeable, and was more of a welcoming mint. His eyes weren't ugly, but nicely shaped and green as emeralds, not some ugly mossy green that Samara had been born with. He wasn't built with awkward, uneven limbs. He was tall, and not lean by any standards. He was a thick, muscled man with an always strong stance. And he was respected.

Her brother looked at her. He actually seemed bored. "Samara, I thought I told you to have someone _else _do this. Who's going to watch over the one from Yukigakure?"

Samara looked up at Hachiro, her eyes meeting his. He broke eye contact nearly immediately, and began to view the walls surrounding them. Hachiro wasn't exactly a fan of Samara's looks, and didn't particularly enjoy being related to someone who brought shame to their family's name just by entering a room. "What are you talking about, brother? The girl is passed out, unconscious in one of the downstairs cells."

Hachiro's form began to change. He stretched his right arm forwards to a length that exceeded any normal human's reach. His arm continued to grow until his fingers were wrapping lightly around Samara's neck. Little by little he started to squeeze until the colour drained from Samara's face. The harder he pressed the darker his skin became, flushing a heavy forest green. "If I thought some moron on the council could _HANDLE _watching her, I wouldn't be here demanding you go take care of the girl yourself!"

Samara began to pant the moment she was free from Hachiro's grasp. She looked up at him, hating herself for the vulnerability her face must have shown. Her cheeks were surely buzzing a great red. Despite the warmth of contact she felt cold, slimy and picked apart. "I—I what am I doing? Just watching her right?"

"Just keeping an eye. _Just_ keeping an eye."


	5. Four : The Cell!

**Four**

The cell may have brought on a chill, but at the very least, it was alive with light. Sun poked through the barred window, and a lamp that sat on the floor, leaned against an empty table was turned on, though it flickered.

Samara looked at Hikari, who lay on the cot given to her by, most likely, Hachiro. She was awake, Samara realized, once she caught Hikari's eyes open and close. She was forcing her eyes to stay shut now that Samara had entered the room, and she was keeping the sounds of her body to a minimum. She grew aware of the sounds her breathing made, and slowed the noise to an end, only inhaling through her nose when she had to.

Just as Samara had expected, Hikari's eyes snapped open and she forced herself back against the stone wall that closed in on them both. The cell was narrow, the paint scratched ceiling low to the ground, and the door to the inside was a bar of swinging metal, only to be opened to those that knew how to work the handle. Hikari didn't have much space to run, and she was surely weakened after Hachiro's student had attacked her, (while they were in the field), so the wall was the only place to go.

Samara watched only for a moment as Hikari fumbled into some sort of crouch. "Oh relax. I'm not the one who brought you here anyway. Besides if I was put in charge of torture, it wouldn't be to hurt some stupid teenage brat who fell for such a basic trick. I'd like to pride myself above the morons."

Samara was pulled up against a desk, that as she eased herself into the stool before it, pressed itself against her chest. There wasn't very much breathing room between the furniture inside of the cell, so the option of stretching out while sitting down was sort of a no go, unless she decided to work away on the floor. That was also a no go, Samara wasn't a neat freak, but she certainly didn't want to sit down, read and write on the very hard floor that various people had been slaughtered on.

"For someone that," Hikari made air quotes with her fingers, "'prides themselves against the stupid,' you're sure quick to follow orders."

Samara rose up from her chair, alarmingly fast, in seconds she was standing before Hikari, pushing her against the wall, with her hands hard on her shoulders. The girl felt fragile beneath her palms, her breathing was heavy, her brown eyes wide and beaming with light from the sun. "I follow _no one_."

Hikari met her cooling gaze with one of simple curiosity. "So Hachiro _isn't_ running the show?"

The cold feeling that had washed over Samara back in Hachiro's office washed over her once more. It was this painful, invisible force that beat down on her and ceased to light up. She didn't break the facade of being strong, alert, and dangerous though. She kept the fire in her eyes and the bitter set to her lips, and voice. "Hachiro's bark and no bite."

Hikari let out a sigh of relief as Samara eased her grip. She did not stop talking though, in fact she used this as an opportunity to continue. "Is that why you became so angry? Because my assumptions about him were false? I have a feeling Hachiro's running things around here."

"I-"

"And you don't know what he wants, do you? You haven't a clue why I'm here, or what he intends to do with me. So you're scared. You're terrified because you have to follow orders which will lead to something you're not sure you want to see the outcome of."

Samara's eyes widened, "you thin you're real clever, _girl_. Well let me tell you something. You better watch the way you speak so freely. I may be following orders, but I'm okay straying away from them to ring your little neck if you keep up this attitude." She sat back down.

Hikari silenced herself, and stretched out on the cot. She held her head up by the weight of her joined hands, and stared up longingly towards the window. Her eyes studied each bar one by one, as if she were weighing the chances she had of breaking them. She glanced at Samara who was proceeding to unwrap a red ribbon off a scroll that looked about ready to tear apart.

"What's with all the scrolls?"

"I thought I told you to keep quiet!"

Hikari sighed, and blew a piece of hair that fell over her eyes, back up into the air with a short breath. "You're the boss. _Boss._"


	6. Five : Enter Hachiro!

**Five**

"_**WHAT IS THIS!? HACHIRO!**_"

Hikari bolted up off of the bed the second Hachiro came running inside. Samara had let out a loud piercing, mess of a scream, which had of course resulted in a commotion that had left Hikari a chance to move during the all of the noise and trouble.

She fell to the ground upon seeing a thick, muscled arm stretch itself out until it was a thin line, with fingers that snapped about, threatening to clasp her ankle, and never let go. She sat, with her hands over her head, body pressed low against the ground, bracing herself for the blow. Much to her relief, Samara's brother did not strike her.

He seemed to be ignoring her in truth. Hikari slowly lifted her gaze from the ground and watched in wonder as the man's ever changing fingers lightly stroked Samara's neck. His fingernails, although they did not look sharp, left little traces up and down whatever skin of her's showed, and thin trickles of blood fell in slow steady streams from tiny wounds.

They weren't large cuts, but there were many, and no matter the tininess of the scratches, Samara whimpered out in pain, and ran out clasping her arms and neck with shaking hands.

Hachiro fell back into his standard form. He was indeed handsome, but no matter how welcoming his eyes, how pleasing his smile, or how wonderful his confidence, Hikari wasn't drawn in. She didn't find herself wanting to hug the man before her, with his marble mint skin, and teasing smirk. She found herself desperately trying not to let tears fall as he stood, almost bored, before her.

He was wearing black pants that flared at the bottom, and clung a little too tightly to his waist. His shirt would have been a baggy mess of beige with ripped sleeves had he not tightened it with what looked to be a red ribbon. His feet were fastened in basic sandals, and he wore his headband loosely around his neck.

Hachiro sighed. "Now what are we gonna do with you?"

Hikari looked up at him, feeling brave. "I'm pretty sure _'we'_ left the building the second after you scratched her everywhere."

Hachiro moved forwards, in three quick steps he was seated on the cot. The simple excuse for a bed seemed to give under his weight, and in a moment the metal was squeaking, and the cot was on its way to the floor. With a small thud he made contact with the ground. "Samara is happy with life, Hikari. Do you know what that means?"

"I'm sure you're about to tell me."

"It means, although she is a little daft at times, she wants to survive. Do you know how one survives?"

Hikari matched him with a roll of her eyes. "By obeying you?"

"By being _useful_. Listen to me or not, I don't care. The second one is of no use, they're dead to me. Samara's fighting to be just that. Now let's discuss these scrolls. I'm sure you want to know what made her scream."


	7. Six : Enter Konoha!

**Six**

It was bright and sunny in Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village, as it usually always was. Birds were flying high up under and swirling clouds, and off into the distance. Their chirps remained a buzz up in the air until they were just dots to the human eye.

That was how Shikamaru liked his sky. He enjoyed a bright, happy visual to rest his eyes upon, or a big sun to beat down on his lids, if he were napping. As of right now he was slowly falling into a peaceful sleep, his eyes were drifting shut, and he was resting on the roof of a sushi shop.

"Lee! Wait! We're supposed to go on this mission together! Quit running off by yourself!"

Shikamaru's head snapped up instantly. He lazily cast a glance towards the ever-so-pleasant sound of a shrill voice, and girly scream, to figure out who had disturbed his peace. Running wildly, flailing her arms as she sprinted was Sakura. Her headband was falling from her forehead, and down around her neck, it whirled as she picked up a quicker sprint.

Shikamaru knew he should have minded his own business, he knew that he should have turned away from the spectacle Sakura and Rock Lee were making but despite not being a curious man, he found himself drawn to the duo. The biggest question throbbing inside his head was, 'who in their right mind would ever think to pair these two on a mission in hopes that it got done?' There was no way the person in charge of this arrangement had been thinking with a full head.

He used his chalkra to balance himself so that he could jump easily from the flat surfaced roof without a sprain. He landed in front of Sakura, cutting off her run and earning an angry "SHIKAMARU" in the process. He looked at her, his dark eyes studying her beat red face. "Where are you going? And more importantly, why are you going with _Lee_?"

Sakura stretched up on her tip toes, and glanced over Shikamaru's shoulder. Her pretty green eyes grew wide, and she focused them in on Lee who had slowed his pace in order to regain his energy. "On our way to find some girl and I-" Sakura stopped, and her jaw dropped, "_**LEE**_! Get back here!" With a push of her hand, Sakura moved Shikamaru out of the way, and almost made him crash into a smiling young mother, who held hands with her little girl.

Turning back for his spot Shikamaru let out a long sigh. He raised his hands to the hard brick of the grand sushi shop and focused his chalkra so that he could climb without a fall. From the rooftop he kept to a low crouch, and moved until he could grip the edge and stare down at the villagers. Sakura was bent over and panting with her left fingernails digging into Lee's shoulder. "_Together_ Lee."

Shikamaru left them alone, and fell back asleep. This was someone elses problem.


	8. Seven : Sakura and Lee!

**Seven**

Sakura had her hands gripped tightly around the long bent map that would show herself and Lee the way to Yukigakure, the Hidden Snow Village. It was weird, that on such a nice sunny day in Konohagakure they would be leaving the beauty of it all for a cruel winter storm that never seemed to cease.

She was remembering her brief run in with Shikamaru about an hour or so ago. In truth, Sakura wish she could turn back and bring the _intelligent _ninja along, but she'd travelled so far—she _was _already outside of Konoha, after all—so she decided to suck it up, and make do with the progress that she and Lee had made thus far.

Although this 'progress' really was nothing compared to the length the two of the would have to travel. Yukigakure, wasn't one of the five great nations, in fact, it was one of those villages that Sakura had to constantly remind herself even existed. To boot, it was strangely far away, in some area, where a basic five days would mean nothing.

At least with Lee, the trip would never be boring. An exhausting, never ending, horrible power, struggle? Yes, but never boring. Lee was always too excited to let things become the opposite. He loved a good mission—although this one itself seemed like a bust, a long bust, but nevertheless—and almost as much he loved Sakura.

The taijutsu shinobi was currently racing around the woods they'd found themselves drawn into by way of the map. Well, in truth, the woods were marked off of the course of the path, but Lee wasn't quite one to follow such things as maps, and he was too fast for Sakura to catch and drag back. He was currently circling rapidly around a massive tree that was leaning up against another for support. It seemed to be rotting, and its biggest branch was dangling by a thin thread of peeling bark.

"Lee why are you-"

"Sakura! Sakura come here!"

Sakura marched over, ready to give the eager, never stopping ninja a piece of her mind, but she found herself stunned into silence. Falling from the branch were loads of items that looked as though they had fallen out of a pack that one would bring on an overnight trip. Sakura glanced at the rolling piece of paper which corners bent at the pressure of the light breeze that blew by. She bent to pick it up.

"A map to Sunagakure? Who from our village is visiting the Sand?"

Lee looked at Sakura, with his big black eyes. He sized her up with a superior stare, and placed his bandaged hands on his hips. "Sakura your beauty is as big as your heart, and your eyes are prettier than the stars, but your brain-" Lee paused, and smiled politely. "Er, did you happen to think that it's that girls map?"

Sakura thought about it for a moment. Yukigakure was quite a bit closer to Sunagakure than it was to Konohagakure. If this were the girl's map, it would have to mean she was either quite unintelligent, and couldn't follow a map to save her life, _or_ she was young, and hadn't been taught how to do so. In the request sent by the head of her village, Sakura didn't remember hearing about the girl's age. It was possible, but the likeliness didn't place that odd into their favour.

"Yeah, but Sunagakure is closer to Yukigakure than these woods. If she were heading to the sand, she would have passed it. But—maybe you're right. Maybe it is her's. We could take it with us, show it to the head of Yukigakure, see if it's recognized by the authorities." Sakura although happy to have found something felt a little uneasy. If somehow, someway this map belonged to the missing girl, it might mean they'd have to venture further onto this mission than originally thought out. It might also mean the mission was more dangerous than it seemed. Only time would tell.


	9. Eight : Miku's Love!

**Eight**

Miku once again found herself the only one eager for Hachiro's arrival. The others who worked under the strong, determined shinobi always seemed miserable to be helping someone such as him, but Miku was different.

Unlike the others, Miku enjoyed the devilish glow that swam in his big emerald eyes, the shine to his minty skin, and the sparkle of his smirk. She didn't just appreciate how handsome he was. It was much more than muscles, nice eyes and adorably tousled, soft sandy blonde hair that hung just over his eyes. It was his the determination, the confidence, the strength. Everything he was she wanted to be.

Miku wasn't a confident girl. Well, she was in one way. She surely knew that she was pretty, with her long loose curls of strawberry blonde hair that shone beautifully, and her sparkly eyes, black and shiny like polished glass. But it wasn't her appearance she felt held her back. It was her lack of drive, her inability to do things because of how insignificant her powers. She wanted strength she didn't yet have and without it she was forever stumbling, awkward and weak. Hachiro certainly had no problems in that regard.

He knew he was powerful, in fact every decision he made, if to be analyzed, was, and would forever be based on how strong he thought himself to be. Not only was he still in Miku's thoughts, but he was passing through the door and into the grand hall of his institute.

The hall was called that for lack of a better word, Miku supposed. It technically was a hall, but it was filled with tons of misplaced furniture, such as cots, tables, various types of chairs, that took up mass amounts of space as well as the boxes that were placed randomly about. There was one long wooden surface that curved around the middle of the room. A load of desks had been joined together as if to make one huge table, with sections for each person. Miku was sitting at her section, alongside a few members of Hachiro's group she didn't recognize.

Hachiro roamed up to Miku herself, and stopped his long confident stride, the moment he reached her. "Miku, I'm going out for a bit. I leave _you_ in charge."

Miku felt this burning heat deep inside of her chest. This was something she'd been waiting for ever since she'd begged Hachiro for the chance to work for him. She had dreamed of the very words been uttered from those lovely lips of his. To truly hear them in his voice was heavenly. "I—I'm in charge?"

Hachiro answered her with a quick nod. "Yes. Samara's taken a leave. I have to get her back. You know how sisters can be."

"I do?"

"Well shouldn't you? Your sister ran her mouth, and how did you find her?" He flashed her a smile, "I don't want Samara to endure the same fate. So, I'll be on my way."


	10. Nine : Hachiro's Plans!

**Nine**

Hikari couldn't quite decide what it was exactly that she was feeling. A rare, painful emotion was running its course throughout her mind, and no matter how much she tried to change her thoughts, she couldn't get rid of how disgusting she felt.

She knew from the moment she'd laid eyes on Hachiro that he was a special kind of villain. One who manipulated and broke you down in the cruelest way he knew how, but because of that she hadn't been expecting _this_. He'd come across as so logical, so calculated, but this? This idea of his was the true epitome of madness.

Hikari wasn't one to hope and pray to the gods above. She wasn't a believer, and she'd never trusted in faith, but here she was, on her knees, tears streaming rapidly down her face, and praying.

"I don't—I don't normally do this but _please_ oh _God_ please don't let him use me. Please don't. If I have to die, I'm okay with that, but I can't die for this!"

"You're mad!"

"Is that so?" Hachiro let out a long sigh, and stretched his bare arms way up above his head, not quite caring about who would see him. Most of those in the Hidden Mist were aware of his abilities. He looked at her, and batted his eyelashes in his signature way.

"Say Samara, aren't there worse things than being a little _mad_?" Hachiro himself sure thought so. Upon the quick journey around the village he'd had in search of his sister he'd seen somethings that would disappoint him for as long as he was affected by others in the world around him.

Weak shinobi had been training, and from the corner of his eye, he'd actually witnessed a young girl dare to give up. She'd been a small little thing with delicate hands, big blue eyes and stringy red hair. She hadn't been able to keep up with the boys, oh no. The heavy rain had slowed her down, the weight of the swords she carried helped drag her to the ground. Hachiro himself had walked up to her, and he'd smiled down before he'd taken her sword and sliced it at the start of her twiggy arms. After all, why have limbs if you were too weak to use them?

That was what was worse than being mad. Weakness. He could smell fear, weakness and uselessness in the air as he continued a slow walk just behind Samara, watching her quick little steps with focused eyes. It was almost as if the blood of the young shinobi had stained each and every falling rain drop with her scent, as they fell upon his head and soaked his skin he could smell her terror.

Samara looked up at him, with those distinctive eyes she had, and that funny big nose of hers turned up and pointy as she did so. "What you're planning, Hachiro it means death for us all!"

A young boy, built pleasantly plump with rosy cheeks stopped in his tracks upon hearing Samara's words. He was fastened in a large wool coat, the colour of sunny skies, that despite being quite long, still showed the outline of his large structure. It only to a moment for him to realize that he should continue walking. He began to pick up his pace, but it was too late. He'd already made his mark.

Hachiro stretched both of his arms long and far in order to reach the boy, but despite his looks, the child was quite quick. His eyes had grown into saucers, and his mouth had dropped open and wide. "MONSTER!" He had shouted before breaking off into a sprint, "MOOOOOOOOOOOONSTER!"

Samara spun on her heels in alarm, "Hachiro! What if someone saw you!"

Hachiro gave Samara an endearing look, "and what if they did? I'd take them all Samara, don't you understand? It's about the chase, sweet sister. Always about the chase."

"That's-"

"That's the way of the world, sis. _But_ before you get too cross let me tell you one thing. What you read on the scroll, isn't what I plan to do with Hikari, and what I told the brat, well that's not true either."

"H-huh?"

"The girl, bless her little heart, thinks that my plans are to use her DNA in order to revive_ him_."

"But—yours are different?"

Hachiro watched with pity as her face began to light up. Oh how pretty Samara could look if she truly tried. Despite her offside features the girl's happy eyes, and the beginnings of her smile made for a tolerable, almost enjoyable image, but he would break it once again. "Oh sweet sister. Mine, _mine_ are much worse."


	11. Ten : Where is she?

**Ten**

"How long have we been travelling for? I feel like we've been going forever."

Rock Lee himself, although still buzzing alive with endless energy would have liked to know the answer to Sakura's question as well. He wasn't anywhere near as tired as her nor did he look as bent out of shape as she did, but he was a bit bored.

It had been exciting at first, to go on a trip with Sakura. She was so beautiful and smart! Plus, the lands they were destined to cover were so interesting and unique, but after a while he found himself feeling as though he were reliving the same journey over and over again.

The same thick trees that despite how strong they looked, and how deep their roots were in the ground, seemed as though they would fall any moment. The same gloomy sky, with the ever-still black and grey clouds that continued to present the possibility of pouring rain. It was a little uneasy, the reminder that the weather could change, constantly hanging over their heads. Not only that but the mud on the ground seemed become deeper and deeper. Lee had found himself struggling to pull his legs out of big piles of it several times. It was getting to the point where he and Sakura had both debated several times whether or not to turn back from the woods and go a different route.

But they'd made it_ so_ far. It was almost the dawn of a new day, despite the fact the sky told him it was still the middle of the night, Rock Lee knew differently. He knew that as he trudged on, that he and Sakura would be out soon. He could feel it. There was something in the air that hit you, once you entered the woods. It was this certain, indescribable thickness that slowly but surely made you feel as though you were suffocating. Lately Lee had begun to notice his breathing catch up. He knew he was almost out.

"Shouldn't be very far until we're out of these woods Sakura. Say, back there, a couple hours ago, when we found that stuff did you happen to pick anything else up?"

Silence.

"Hey? Sakura did you-"

Silence.

"Sakura?"

That was the final time Lee would call her name. Slowly he turned his back to face trees, mounts of dirty, rocks, puddles and the darkening sky. But he did not see Sakura.

"Lee!"

The second he heard his name being shouted in that signature way that she had, Lee knew that Sakura was in trouble. Knowing that he must save her, he set forwards and broke out into a strong, steady sprint. "SAKURA!" He would find her. He knew he would.


	12. Eleven : Sister!

**Eleven**

"You have a sister?"

Miku could tell that Carlos certainly found this revelation quite odd. He'd been working under Hachiro for what he always said were years, and she'd never told him about her family.

As a rule of Hachiro's one mustn't bring personal affairs or relationships into work place conversation. Although that rule was almost always broken. If Miku had a dollar for the amount of times she'd overheard someone 'airing their dirty laundry' in supposed-to-be-business conversations, employment under Hachiro wouldn't be a necessity.

Carlos was a handsome man, of Mexican descent, with big amber eyes constantly swimming with golden and black flecks. He was a little bit shorter than the average man, and he was slim, almost as if permanently underfed, no matter how much ramen he ate at break. His hands were always marked with different scars and scrapes, and they looked as though they didn't belong attached to his otherwise fragile body.

Unlike Miku, Carlos was one of many who would constantly snicker behind Hachiro's back. She could hardly count the amount of times he'd mimicked Hachiro's words in his soft voice, or the amount of times his dark eyes had widened in mock horror at one of Hachiro's threats. Right now his eyes were beady, and he was leaned up on his chair so that Miku herself was able to smell the faint tinge of cologne he'd sprayed onto his grey vest, the same vest they all wore.

"You do don't you!? What does he mean the same fate? Wait is your sister . . .? Does he mean _dead_? Oh god I hope not! He was talking about Samara! You know I like me some Samara. Not the most gorgeous girl around but she's got spunk and she's got the attitude of a winner. That kinda stuff you don't get in your average girl. So do ya?"

_Always_ babbling. This was something Carlos did often. Once he began speaking it was probably one of the worlds hardest tasks to be able to shut him up. His head would bounce up and down, his eyes would grow so wide you'd think they were going to pop out of his skull, and his mouth would move around so fast it was hard to keep track of the way his lips were going.

"Carlos you think it's a good idea to talk about matters that don't concern you go on right ahead, but don't drag me into your rule breaking."

Carlos tilted his head back and laughed, a great loud chuckle that had his shoulders rocking. "Ha! I'm just asking about your sister, chill! I don't understand how you're so in love with Hachiro to the point you can't even speak when he's not here! Anyway, he's a total freak! Lemme guess he murdered your sister and you paid him back with _love."_ He was laughing now, rocking in his seat as he did so, creating a scene as he went on. "What your sister steal your nail polish and you had him kill her for a good price?"

"Hachiro did not! I didn't order him to do anything!"

"I didn't do _what_?"

Carlos instantly whirled around to see Hachiro, standing with his fingers gripping the waist of his pants. Beside him was Samara, who was a tiny little thing beside him, looking fearful and disturbed as she studied everyone who looked at her with their judging eyes.

Carlos let out a deep breath,"Hachiro I. . ."


	13. Twelve : A Bigger Team!

**Twelve**

Lee ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He was sweating profusely and his heart was pounding in ways it never had. He continued to push himself to move faster, but with every new step he took he found himself slowing down.

It was hard to tell if his decrease in speed was because he was growing tired, or because of the mud that clung to the backs of his black sandals. Or _maybe _it was because there was a part of him that _didn't want _to see Sakura. Lee couldn't bare to see her in pain or held by an enemy, it was almost _easier to run _. . .

"No! Guy Sensei would rescue her! Guy Sensei would want me to push myself!"

Lee pushed himself through the troublesome obstacles that blocked the ways he went. He'd been running around in zig zags before he'd finally be able to squeeze through a space between a tilting boulder and a tipping tree. Through the cracks of branches, and through the spaces of dozens of falling leafs he could see blurry shadows and outlines. He hoped Sakura was among them, prayed for it as he ran.

Lee was so close, he could taste the faint strawberry sweetness of Sakura's shampoo as its scent lingered trough the air. He could sense life and he knew he was nearing his destination. He would run and run until he could run no more, he would fight through nature's obstacles until there was nothing for him to break through. He was almost there, and he would . . .

_**CRASH**_! Lee smacked straight into a shinobi that felt all too familiar upon human contact. He went flying from the overwhelming force that pushed against him, with no warning whatsoever. His head began to spin, and before he hit the ground things were already blurry. He would lose his senses before even getting the chance to fight!

"Oh god! My _head_. Lee do you have to be such a freak about things!?"

Lee looked up to see thick platinum blonde hair, tinted slightly by sunlight, swaying. It was tamed by a thick purple band. He saw flashes of purple, which was the colour of what seemed to be a skirt or dress, he still couldn't really see. Two grey bands on either arms, beautiful ocean eyes, and flawless skin entered his line of sight.

"_Ino_?!"

"Nice to see you too." Ino was standing with her hands placed on her hips. She was looking at Lee with her eyes hard as glass. A knife was tucked into her right legs grey band. She reached down and pulled it out, studying the blade as she fiddled with it in her hands. "Gotta give this back to Kiba."

"Kiba!? He's here too?!"

"A couple ways back yeah. Same with Sakura. Fighting some rogue ninja creep. He totally cut me up!"

The relief and wonder Lee had felt quickly went away. "Wait Kiba's fighting?!"

"Kiba's a big boy Lee, he doesn't need any help against some loser ninja who preys on innocents in the woods."

"But Sakura! He can't protect her and fight!"

Ino looked up at Lee, with those pretty eyes of hers. She threw her head back and let out a simple laugh, that sounded as sweet as a lullaby. "Sakura's always talking big Lee, I'm sure she can handle herself."

"I know you don't _love_ her company but we can't leave them!"

"Lee! I don't think you understand just what kind of mission you're on! Why do you think _Kiba_ and I of all people are with you? We've been ordered by Lady Tsunade to accompany you! Why? Because this isn't your normal case of saving the damsel. This is big Lee."

"What?"

"There's something going on, in one of the villages, and if we don't find out what, it could mean the end for us. Not just for _our_ village, but for every village. Kiba is strong, and Sakura has her uses. _We_ need to keep moving no matter what. They'll catch up to us. Now. Let's get out of these woods, and go the_ proper_ way. Learn to follow a map."

As Lee listened to her words he was beginning to believe them but the concern he felt for Sakura did not cease. Although he nodded, smiled and followed her out of the mess of trees and dark skies, he felt scared. He could only hope the dangers he sensed were apart of his imagination.


	14. Thirteen : I sentence you!

**Thirteen**

"_I sentence you to die!_"

Hikari heard the words through the stone walls the moment they were screamed from Hachiro's mouth. This was one of those times she wished she could watch what acts of cruelties he was committing.

Although Hikari had only seen the employes here through the bars of her window, which was too far up for up for them to speak without being caught, she'd already picked out her favourites. She could tell a lot from first glance, and from what little of their conversations she heard, she'd pegged her top 10.

Her least favourite was Miku. Miku was a pretty little thing with curls that bounced wondrously upon her shoulders, and lovely Amaranth pink lips, but aside from looking her very best, she had nothing going for her. She was hopelessly in love with the human epitome of true evil, she was naive, and on top of that she was awfully pretentious. She spoke in such a tone that suggested she thought herself above everyone. Everyone but Hachiro.

A faint Mexican accent came through the walls, desperate and pleading. "Hachiro I didn't mean anything by it! It was a joke!"

_Carlos_. He was a good guy, a bit older than a few of the other people here, maybe five years everyone's senior, with the exception of few workers, yet he certainly didn't act like it. He had never disturbed Hikari herself, but she supposed that if someone had to go it might as well be the person who acted immature and irritable at every turn.

Yet something deep within Hikari was clawing at her brain. She knew what she was thinking wasn't the best idea but she figured she might as well try to act as a saviour rather than let a man die. Especially one who, when she could hear him, made a horrible experience much more pleasant. She knew that if she speak loud enough that everyone would hear her.

"Don't kill him! Put him in a cell!"

The first thing Hiakri heard were the shocked mumbles of various people who were most likely stuck still, under the shock of Hachiro's demand. She was able to pick up on few sentences such as, 'is that girl _nuts_?' Or, 'that's the end of her.' But what she didn't hear was anything to indicate Hachiro was angry at her poorly executed request.

Slowly footsteps began approaching, the pitter-patter of sandals grew louder the longer they continued to make noise. Sooner than later Hachiro was standing behind her door, singing to himself as he worked on the doors latch. As the door swung open, he waltzed in, gripping Carlos by the arm as he entered. His hands were gripping tightly around the poor man so much that Hikari was sure he would be bleeding in seconds.

"Why would I bring him in a cell?"

"I-"

"And I suggest you convince me _right_ now, sweetheart, because if you don't I'll have you be the one to end his life, and if you should refuse, I'll have you both slaughtered."


	15. Fourteen : Lightning!

**Fourteen**

Sakura found herself backed up against a tree, fending off a Kirigakure ninja with a kunai. Her arm was bending too far back, and she was having trouble keeping her weapon held against the girl's sword. She could hear the clashing sounds of metal against metal.

The girl she was fighting was perhaps in her early twenties with light brown skin and shining, crescent eyes that glowed the prettiest shade of hazel. She was an inch or two shorter than Sakura herself, with a lovely curvacious build, but with her strength and attitude she seemed to stand taller than anyone Sakura had ever seen. If Sakura had heard the man that Kiba was currently trying to defend himself against correctly, the girl's name was Lisa.

Unlike Lisa the man that went after Kiba wasn't quite so serious as he fought. He smiled, cheered and shouted joyously almost every moment he had the chance to. His eyes were soft, gentle and three shades a darker brown than his windblown medium brown hair. He was tall, lean, and wearing a grey vest that matched Lisa's.

"This is so fun! You guys are so fun!" His voice although deep and rocky always sounded so childish when he spoke to Sakura's ears, yet she did think he looked older than both her or Kiba.

Lisa took a seconds worth of her attention off of her fight with Sakua to look over at her partner and criticize him, "Akira! Quit being so immature about things!"

Lisa had only glanced away for a moment, but that amount of time had been just enough for Sakura to make some headway. She pulled back from Lisa in a rush and continued to dash back until she had her chalkra properly focused. Once she knew that her power was buzzing in her legs and feet she sprang forwards and swung at Lisa with the greatest force one of her kicks could have.

Lisa cried out as she was sent flying into the air. The cherry clips in her black as crow's wings hair, detached and went soaring, resulting in her hair flailing wildly around her head. Her bangs fell over her eyes, and for a moment her face was hidden under silky strands. Lisa only had a second to to build herself a water bed to soften the blow to the ground, and by use of a jutsu Sakura didn't quite catch the name of, she saved herself the mess of a serious injury.

Sakura had noticed that Lisa had only been able to soften the blow from the ground. Her back hadn't been protected whatsoever from the collision with the rocks and logs she'd been sent against. It wasn't quite the impact she was hoping for, but she knew she had made way with a bit of pain, and that was good enough for her.

Feeling like she could finish Lisa off, Sakura reached into the blue weapon sleeve that was fastened around the bandage on her right thigh, and pulled out two kunai, dipped in poison from one of her battles long ago. She sprinted for Lisa, ready to dig the weapons into the woman's flesh.

"Sakura look out!"

Sakura snapped her head to the side to where Kiba was shouting and waving his arms around wildly. He was struggling, with his hands gripped tightly around Akira's neck, though the man made no sign of having trouble with Kiba's efforts. Sakura wasn't quite sure what Kiba was attempting by wrestling with the man, not until he came running at her.

"Anyone that hurts her dies!"

That's when Akira smashed his fists together, and all hell broke loose. Lightning charged not only from his hands, but around his entire body. His muscles grew by the second, and the colour of his peachy skin was instantly obscured by the flashes of yellow light that fell over him. He made a load of noise as the lightning force became larger.

Sakura watched, with wide eyes as Akira's vest was ripped from the widening of his limbs. His shirt began to tear, and just about as his shorts started to rip, he smashed his fists upon the ground, screamed, and everything began to crash.

An intense and blinding bubble of yellow light was the last thing Sakura remembered before it went black.


	16. Fifteen : Carlos' story, Hikari reveals!

**Fifteen**

Carlos looked at Hikari, studying her as he made his way over to the back corner of the room. He sat on the floor, and stared up at the ceiling, wondering how he'd just managed to escape death. "You didn't have to make up some dumb story to get him to save me. He'll just kill you when he finds out you're lying."

Hikari looked up at him, her big dark eyes shining under the sunlight that blared through the window. She ran her hands over her dark brown hair, which had grown from pleasantly wavy to ratty and tangled. "He's probably going to kill me anyway. But—I'm not lying."

Carlos' stomach tightened, and his heart dropped. He scooted closer towards, her, she was sitting in front of the cot that Hachiro had busted. "You told him that I was needed to revive some dead guy!"

Hikari nodded. "Well yes. In order to revive him, a sacrifice needs to be made."

"You screwed me over! A sacrifice! What difference does it make whether I die today or however many days from now!"

Carlos was horrified, angry, and most of all disappointed. The second he thought he'd been made a free man, was the second his freedom had once again been taken away.

It was all too real for him, and it reminded him of the day he'd met Hachiro.

He could remember himself, being too naive to say no to a bad thing. It had been a blizzard outside, his fingertips had fallen numb to the cold, and his hunger had ate at him. Carlos had been desperate for something he couldn't quite describe. At first it had been fun, but then he'd realized that he'd walked into a trap. That he was here, for the long haul, under watch of some man that would kill all in his way.

Hikari blinked, "do you _honestly_ think that I'm going to let myself be used in some freak mission." She edged closer towards him and placed her hand on his shoulder. Hikari bared no mind to the fact that he'd shuddered from her touch, and had scooted back instantaneously. He watched her with hawk eyes, and kept in a crouch.

"My mother stopped caring years ago, but I do have people that care about me, and they _are_ going to find me before it's too late. They're going to come for me, and when they do, I'll make sure they help you too."

Carlos pressed his fingers to his temples and sighed, "who would want to help someone like me? Who would want to risk their lives for some man that was too weak to say no. I wasn't _forced_ to come here. I did so of my own accord. It was only after I signed up, did I know that I wouldn't be leaving. My mother can't even look at me, my father gets sick at the mention of my name. Why would a stranger help me?"

Hikari didn't know the answer. It wasn't her place to put outcomes forth if she didn't truly know they would happen. She did know that the people of her village were generous, and forgiving, for the most part. They wouldn't hold a grudge, and more than anything they would want to stop Hachiro's plans, whether that meant saving someone who had been caught at the wrong time, or not.

She sighed. One thing did pick at her though. "Hachiro's really known as some kind of freak isn't he?"

Carlos nodded, looking vulnerable, sad and alone. He held his hands together, and placed his head on his knees. "Not everyone knows him by name. But everyone knows that the man of green is to be avoided."

"Then why . . . Why is he still at work? If he's such a danger, then why isn't the Mizukage doing anything about it? Why is someone, so horrifying allowed to move about the world so freely?"

He scoffed, his usual cool expression coming back, his eyes lit up and he chuckled a little. "Kirigakure knows to avoid the man in green. The man in green is a horrifying, and _ugly_ sight. It's when Hachiro's arms are longer than fallen trees, when his skin is greener than pine. When his humanity has completely vanished, and all that's left in his cold eyes is hatred." He looked at her. "Tell me Hikari, do you see those things when you look at him?"

"N-no."

"Of course not. You see a young, promising man, with a work ethic, and a collected way of handling things. You see a handsome face and a charming smile. But what you do _not_ see is a monster. And that is why he's not locked up. It is because no one _knows_ it's him. It's because the only ones that know what he can become are either dead, or too scared to say anything."

"When did you learn about how horrible he was?"

Carlos laughed a little. It was a dry, pained sound, and he seemed to be in a state of misery as he began his story. His voice became low, and his tone filled with malice. His eyes had grown hard as stone, and his movements slowed. He was becoming cold and rigid.

"It was within the first week of working with him. It had been a late," he took a moment, "Sunday, I believe. The sun was set, the stars were out and the moon was full. The sky was lit up by lanterns, and if I'm not mistaken it was raining"

He rubbed his forehead in exhaustion. "I had just came outside, and I'd found him, standing with a blood stained weapon in his hands. His arms had been stretched wide, and he'd been laughing like a lunatic. I'd asked him what he had done, but all he would do is laugh. I hadn't seen him change, I hadn't even discovered whether it had been a human he'd slain, or an animal. But what I did know, was that his reasons were wrong."

"How?"

"The madness in his eyes. That is something he's always had. Pure madness and hatred, deep within those green gems all the girls love to fawn over. It's always been there, and I had only noticed it after I'd stared into them for too long. So when I felt that unease I followed him. I followed him, and I trailed him across the village. We'd found ourselves in the village forest. The rain had picked up and aside from my own breathing and steps, all I could hear was the sound of water falling from the sky."

"What happened next?" Hikari leaned forwards, holding herself up with her hands as she craned her neck to see him better.

"His form started to change. Hachiro had started laughing, loud and obnoxious, as all young adolescent boys did. His arms had grown long and wide, and after reaching so far forwards, they'd came snapping back to his sides. He'd grabbed a girl in his hands. A young, pretty girl with big ocean eyes and braided black hair. He'd smiled at her, called her beautiful, said it was sad she'd have to die."

"And?"

"And then he scratched her eyes out, and stabbed her in the chest. And then he'd turned around and held her up by her wrist. He looked at me, laughed for what seemed like hours, and he'd told me to enjoy the rest of the night. And then he was gone." He sighed. "After he'd left I'd walked up to the girl he'd left lying on the ground. I'd walked further into the woods, the same way he had gone, and on my way, I'd seen something. He'd cut her hair. Part of her braid, the ribbon gone, was on the ground. The moment the wind picked it up, and scattered the strands was the moment I turned back around, and decided to run somewhere to stay."

He looked at her, "that madness of his never left those eyes. He doesn't hide it. If you want to know how truly awful someone is, just stare into their eyes. You'll find out more than you ever would from a simple conversation."

"Over the last little while I've come to recognize you as the funny man who would make light of anyone. You're much more serious than anyone gives you credit for."

Carlos shrugged, "it's not something I think needs to be credited. I'd much rather be known as the guy who laughed, then the guy who was serious and annoying." He looked at her, "I have a question."

"Ask."

"You said your _mother_ stopped caring years ago. What about your father? Is he dead?"

Hikari grew uncomfortable, that horrible feeling she'd had before his story, and all day before came seeping back. "If Hachiro gets his way, he won't be for long."

"Your dad is who Hachiro hopes to revive?!"

Hikari wiped her eyes, and stared off into space. "My dad is death to us all, once he's alive."


	17. Sixteen : The Chase!

**Sixteen**

Sakura woke up to the feeling of cool wind brushing against her forehead. She opened her eyes to the sight of Kiba laying beside her, on his stomach his arms by his sides and his fists clenched. His headband was around his neck, and the backs of his knees were bloody.

With a throbbing pain in her legs, Sakura pushed herself into a seating position, and stretched her arms up above her head in tiredness. Around were was fallen trees, mounts of dirt, and not too far from her, was Lisa, struggling into a seating position.

Lisa sat, with her back against a tree, mud was in between her fingernails, and she was pushing her hair away from her eyes. Laying, in what Sakura presumed to be an unconscious state was Akira, with his head pressed down into her lap. Lisa was brushing his hair away from his eyes, and pressing her lips to his forehead, somewhat desperately. In a meek voice she called out his name, doing so until her lips grew tired.

Sakura didn't quite know what the best course of action was. She glanced down upon her legs, which were marred with several scratches, and one big wound that ran from the back of her thigh to the front of her ankle. Her skin had been split largely, and a trail of thick blood was mixing into the dirt beneath her, colouring it red. Dirt was seeping into the wound, and she was growing worried, and the pain was increasing.

She _was_ quite the medical ninja, so it wasn't like healing herself was impossible. The problems were, she didn't know whether to help herself or Kiba out first. Kiba was stronger, and he had a better chance of protecting them both than she ever would. The second problem was the chance of Lisa seeing her alive. She wasn't sure if the girl knew, but she was certain that if she _did_ it would only be a moment before Lisa would come over ready to finish what Akira had started.

Sakura could still remember it. Akira had completely changed, from a happy-go-lucky man to some sort of lightning monster. The way the light had covered and shaded his skin, the way his muscles had grown, how his body had taken a larger, rockier form. He'd smashed his fists to the ground, and as the noise from the blow had reached her ears, so had the pain.

The forest had split, several trees had fallen and had swatted them, sand had flew into their eyes, and rocks had pelted them hard in the stomach. Sakura had made sure to grab onto Kiba's leg in attempt to stay close to him, but in doing so she'd dragged him into an even worse situation. He would have gotten away with possibly a broken leg, but now he was bleeding, gross and most likely dying.

The problem with Akira's move, whatever he had done, not only had it hurt Sakura and Kiba, but it had hurt him. Sakura had heard of people with abilities such as his. With such great lightning power, so what he had done hadn't been a horrible shock, just not expected from _him._ The one thing she did know, was that if what he had done had hurt himself, he hadn't been very well educated in that realm of his abilities. He had probably just learnt the basics. And now he was paying the price.

Sakura wasn't quite sure why this man would endanger himself. As a shinobi, she, and everyone she knew had been taught that although comrades are important, it is more important to finish the mission. Also, that it is more important to preserve your own life rather than a friend's. Although, Sakura had came to the conclusion, that Akira and Lisa most like were more than friends.

The way he had looked at her, when she'd planned the moves with the kunai. It had been terrifying, but a look she had recognized It was the look people gave someone when they were endangering their loved ones. Aside from that, he had been shooting her adoring glances the whole fight. He'd been staring at her with those big brown, puppy dog eyes of his. And now he was probably dead.

Kiba rolled over, slowly and quietly trying not to make any noise. He tapped Sakura on the leg. The movement was soft, but Sakura had a feeling it wasn't him being gentle, but rather too weak to strongly touch her. His dark eyes, almost black, with flashes of burgundy stared up at her face, vulnerable and sad. "Sakura we have to get out of here."

He had whispered, giving Sakura the impression he thought they should try to be as quiet as possible. She looked down at him, with pity, "Kiba-"

"While she's looking after her boyfriend. We should go when she's grieving his loss. We should go _now_."

Lisa didn't seem to be moving anytime soon. She was cradling her arms around Akira's shoulders. Her hands were grabbing onto his, and her fingers were running lines down his arms. She bent down again to kiss him on the forehead, and as she did so she started to cry. She cried even harder the moment she pressed her head upon his heart. "No."

Without another word Sakura focused her chalkra into her palms and pressed her hands against the wounds on Kiba's chest. Ever so quietly she'd zipped down his coat, reached her hands up his thin grey shirt, and pressed her hands firmly against his skin. She could see that it hurt, by the way he'd bit down on his lip, and pressed his eyes shut in order to shut out the pain.

Sakura moved cut from cut, until for the most part he was healed. She didn't want to waste time on minor marks on his legs, she herself knew that her own larger wounds were more important. With quick, steady hands she focused all her strength on the largest of her cuts. She had just finished it up, and had begun working on her arms when Lisa had snapped her head up from Akira, and locked her cold, dead eyes on them both.

Kiba stood up, "we have to run."

"We can't run! We have to fight!"

"Look Sakura! I'm not one to run away from a fight either but if that girl's boyfriend could make trees fall, and expand like some sort of monster in a horror movie, we don't wanna know what she could do! Plus, to be honest, I'm not feeling very strong right now. Akamaru isn't with me, and without him helping I'm limited to begin with."

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows as she stood up with him. "Akamaru's sick right? Why were you picked to go onto this mission if you can't even fight properly."

"Who knows why Lady Tsunade does anything, or why she _picks_ anything. All _I_ know is, that Lisa chick looks pissed, and we gotta go!"

The two of them broke into a run as soon as they could, but Lisa was fast on her feet. For every five steps they took it was as if she took ten. For every small jump they did, it was as if she'd taken a giant leap. All Sakura knew was that Lisa was following them, that they were being tailed, and that they had to hurry.


	18. Seventeen : Reaching the sand!

**Chapter Seventeen**

Ino looked up at Lee with big worried eyes. Uncertainty masked her porcelain features. She picked at the waist of her purple dyed clothes, "we've been separated for a while."

Lee figured that Ino was referring to the hours that they'd spent drawn away from Kiba and Sakura. Lee himself had expected to be back with the two other shinobi about 7 hours from their separation, but 10 had seeped by, and the further they travelled the more they realized something was most likely offhand. Lee had personally realized things had gone awry several hours ago, but Ino had brushed off his worries with a roll of her eyes, and a snappy tone.

Now she was walking with her fingers intertwined a look of utmost discomfort present on her face. Her eyes darted around every moment as if trying to spot Sakura and Kiba in the shadows. No such luck. He'd been doing the same thing since the appearance of stars in the sky.

"What do you think we should do? Do you think we should turn back?"

Ino sighed, looking more and more unsure of herself as the time passed. Lee could tell by the disappointment deep within the endless oceans that were her eyes, that she wasn't sure what to think. Or that maybe, she was unhappy with what she figured to be inevitable. "When I left them they were fighting some hyperactive guy with moppy brown hair and puppy eyes. He was acting like a tool. I didn't think they'd have trouble, but maybe I was wrong."

Lee pressed his fingers to his temples, "they _could_ have gotten lost. Maybe they're trying a different route then us, we did get out of the deep area of the woods after all." Lee didn't agree with his point, but he figured he might as well bring up some positivity. "What should we do?"

"We're approaching Sunagakure, we should keep on our feet, until we get there. I know they'll come back us. Kiba promised he would, along with Sakura, he's not going to break it."

Lee sighed, and despite his feelings being on the opposite side of the spectrum than her decision, he nodded, placed his hands by his sides, and began a long, walk with an unexpected comrade.

The two of them passed over rocks, mud and puddles, and onto sandy terrain. The sky had lit up considerably, although the wind had picked up in such a way that had the sand blowing fiercely towards their eyes, and into their hair. Lee and Ino found themselves blinking at every turn, and bumping into each other, as their vision was significantly impaired.

The smell of leafs, dirt and lakes off behind hills left the air, and was replaced with the scent of sweat, and hot, summer stickiness. Sunagakure was really nothing short of a desert, and the drastic climate change between Konohagakure and the outsides of the sand based village had both Ino and Lee's heads spinning.

Lee was sweating up a storm by the time the sight of massive twin steel gates graced their line of vision. They were far off into the distance and would most likely take a good 15 minutes to reach, but it was a sign that they were closer to the village.

The more Lee squinted, the more he could make out the shapes of shinobi that stood guard. He couldn't determine whether they were male or female, but he could see human silhouettes that let him know there would be people for him to lay his eyes upon in just a small amount of time.


	19. Eighteen : Take a walk with Miku!

**Chapter eighteen**

Hachiro had let Miku take the rest of the day off. She hadn't really wanted to give up the last few hours of her time with him, but he had been pretty insistent, and when he looked down at her with those stunning eyes of his, she felt compelled to do what he asked. That included leaving.

Currently, she was roaming Kirigakure, searching for beauty but finding nothing even remotely aesthetically pleasing. That could have been because she was searching for loveliness in all of the wrong places—she _was _walking at night in a raining town after all—but she was still minimally disappointed.

Miku adored beauty, she lived for it truthfully, pleasantry to the eye, was most definitely one of the most important things in her life. To see buildings with uneven bricks, peeling paint, unattractive people flooding the streets, primarily middle aged men with naughty intentions, and the mess of the world around her that the rain made, was really horrible for Miku. There seemed to be no escape from ugly.

Carlos, an average man himself had called her superficial for her thoughts, but she ceased to care about whatever names he gave her. He was a man with a mind that was too open for his own good, and a relaxed philosophy on life that was the most obvious piece of evidence he hadn't yet grown up. He was welcoming towards people Miku would certainly never give her time of day to, and friends with _losers_, because of that he was nothing short of trash, at least to her.

Miku had stripped off her vest at work, and she'd left it sitting on her desk. Now she walked the world outside of uniform, wearing big black heels, and a navy blue skirt, short enough to show how long and slim her legs were, that was tightened with a thick black belt and paired with a button-up shirt of the same colour. Miku thought she looked great, she always did, and because she thought so, she made it her priority to act proud of her looks as well. She did this because, well, in the real world, who was ever attracted to the timid girl with low self esteem and a frown always on her face?

She didn't really know what she was planing to do tonight. She had wanted to go back home to her little apartment and stay in for the night, but she was outside, looking good, and feeling the wind in her hair. She decided to change her mind, and maybe visit the local inn where adults drank and flirted, and teenagers indulged on adult products behind their parents back.

The inn was the place where she let herself go. Miku usually went there to relax, or to find a man to love for the night. Although she _was_ in love with Hachiro, and wanted him to want her the way she did him, she _was_ a young woman with needs. And one of her needs was to be loved, even if only for a set of hours. Even if with men she didn't know, or men older than her by years. She wanted affection, and she would get it, even if the only reason she received any notice was the influence of alcohol and desperation. So with memories in the back of her mind, and the want of a man's touch burning, she set off to fill her desires.


	20. Nineteen : Meeting The Guards!

**Chapter Nineteen**

Once they were close enough to carry a conversation with the guards by the gates that marked the entrance of Sunagakure, Ino found herself staring anxiously between the two sand shinobi that stood, looking strong and confident before them.

Two men were before Ino and Lee, both with the same golden eyes, and ebony hair. One was just below average height, with slight curls to his hair, and porcelain skin not very much different than Ino's. He didn't have much muscle, but there were weapons stored in his black boots, and cockiness swimming through his eyes, that assured Ino that lack of muscle may not have mattered in this case.

The other one was tall, and looked as though he was cut from stone. His arms were large, and much like boulders beneath scarred skin. Long cuts ran along his back in jagged lines, ranging from faded white lines to burning pink and red marks that seemed to glow under the light from the stars. He wore no shirt, but scars over his chest. His eyes weren't as big, or as curious as the other man's, he didn't smile like his comrade either, he appeared, tired, yet dangerous. The legs of his tightly fit black pants, were widely flared, and flowed away from his ankles, revealing more of his legs as he began to walk towards both Ino and Lee.

Ino would have thought he was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, had the left side of his face not been marred by the most brutal of burn marks. Just below his left eye, his cheek was a mess of red flesh, and crushed skin that she couldn't quite make out the colours of, the marks he bared ended just at the start of his stubborn jawline.

He looked at them both, and pressed his fingers tiredly against his eyelids. A long yawn escaped his lips that showed them how exhausted he was, the dark circles beneath his eyes, were also a pretty obvious indicator.

"You two wouldn't be apart of the four sent on that mission to save that Kirigakure girl, would you?"

Ino couldn't help but be a little startled. She glanced towards Lee, but her fellow Konohagakure comrade didn't seem to be even remotely surprised by this man's awareness of their mission. She did suppose that he seemed like the sort of person who knew everything, but nonetheless unease still nestled within her.

"Actually we _would_ be. I'm Ino," she gestured at Lee with steady hands, "and this is Lee. The other two, Sakura and Kiba, well they're on a different route, but-"

"I see." The man looked towards his comrade, and raising his voice, he called him over. "Daiki! Would you lead these two inside the village?"

Daiki glanced up from the kunai in his hands, he rested his head back against his raised arms, and yawned, before nodding lazily. "Sure thing, bro."


End file.
